Pacts and Promises
by FireCracker7
Summary: Alan Scott reaches an agreement with his other self.


submission dated 4-4-11 author: FireCracker (Italic copy bordered by_underscore_) Archive? You'd better.  
>Warnings: none, really<p>

Featuring: Alan Scott / Sentinel GL and the StarHeart

Pacts and Promises

(This takes place during the current JSA storyline. Alan is crippled, his neck and body broken by Dr. Chaos. His attempt to heal himself on the moon has failed. Returning to his hospital room, he receives a familiar visitation.)

_I feel so angry, useless. This has happened far too many times._

Alan sat propped in bed, brackets holding his body in place. He seethed in anger and frustration despite outward appearances of calm. He d had several visitors that day, including his daughter Jade and Jesse Quick. Some brainstorming about solutions so far had been fruitless.

The senseless attack on Lightning enraged him most of all. He knew what Black Lightning was going through with his pain.

I_ suffered a similar situation with Jennie. This Dr. Chaos what is he?_

**A pretender.**

_Eh?_ Alan Scott stared at a column of green fire that suddenly appeared. The version of himself as Sentinel stood before him.

**You don t seem surprised at my appearance, Alan Scott.**

"Why should I be? If anything, I m surprised it took you this long to show up."

Sentinel strutted across the room, power in each stride. **I wanted privacy. You ve had many visitors today.**

Alan snorted. "So. Have you come to taunt me again? Or maybe you re here to start a useless fight?"

Sentinel sat in a chair with flourish. **You misunderstand me as always.**

"I doubt that. You re a malevolent, evil being."

**No. I am a self serving, chaotic being. There is a difference.**

"I don t see it."

Sentinel laughed. **No, because you ascribe to the nonsensical belief perpetrated by Order that anything Chaos is evil. But life sprung from Chaos, Scott. The diversity and development of being. Order is responsible for extinction, static nature.**

"Order gives stability and structure."

Sentinel nodded. **Yes, to chaos already established. Both are needed in existence**.

Alan shifted in his bracing. "So why the lecture, Starheart? You always have a motive."

**During the fiasco on the moon, I didn t initially. But it occurred to me that total chaos could prove quite enjoyable. The wretched guardians could never appreciate that.**

Alan winced. "I suppose that s logical coming from a chaotic being. But why are you here?"

Sentinel cocked his head slightly. **We ve had a roundabout over the years, you and I. It is time for what mortals call a 'meeting of minds'.**

Scott cocked an eyebrow. "I must admit, this is a different tactic for you."

**I bring logic to my arguments here, Scott.**

"State them."

**As I have said numerous times, we are the same being. Your soul and willpower is part of my essence, and I form your body and power.**

"I am still a Green Lantern."

**And I am _not._ Your colleague Dr. Midnight is correct. Whatever your willpower forms, we become. But your beliefs limit and weaken us both. Because of this clash, we go round and round.**

Scott narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "How so?"

Sentinel sighed, folding his arms. **I am not a being likely welcomed in most places, as you know.**

"Because of your nature, Starheart. You ve killed and caused great destruction."

**Those who claim that have also done destruction and tried to destroy me. Their motives vary. What difference is there in the end?**

"You don t understand the morality of mortals. It s a framework of right and wrong that primal beings don t ascribe to."

Sentinel appeared to think on that. **Duly noted. However, your influence has given me some knowledge of those concepts.**

"But you have no soul. It s why you can exist as you are and feel no remorse."

**I cannot say whether I have one. But beings with souls have done great evil. Nor is my existence reliant on having one. You logic is faulty.**

"You have a point. I still want to know your terms."

Sentinel smiled darkly, flame bleeding from his eyes. **Always to the point, Alan. So be it. I come with an offer this day, a pact if you will.**

"I don t trust you, of course."

**Because of my influence, I know. But I trust you, despite your influence on me.**

Alan registered surprise. "What?"

**Have all my motives been truly evil? I didn t attack and kill your friends, I merely held them hostage. I never harmed our children, until Jade resisted and attacked me. Like you, I have a sense of family.**

"I will concede that. But you made me ruthless, cold and distant."

**Alan, think. I merely nutured what was already there. Your famous temper back in the day. Every aspect you accuse me of allowed you to climb the corporate ladder in communications. I had nothing to do with it.**

Alan gritted his teeth. "I really don t want to hear this."

Sentinel smiled triumphantly. **No, of course not. Humans blame outside influence for their own inherent traits. Take Hal Jordan and Parallax for example. But it s irrelevant since you aren t really human anymore.**

"Tell me your terms!"

**Your anger at the situation regarding Lightning. We could heal the girl while Fate mucks about with her soul. The fool is stumbling around in nether dimensions with no plan.**

"Heal her? How, Starheart? I can t heal _myself_ without letting you loose!"

**Accept the truth and heal, Alan Scott. You hold yourself back.**

"The consequences of setting you free are too great."

**Setting us free, you mean.**

"Whatever. I won t do it."

**Fool! Do you plan to lay there like an idiot for eternity, looking old and feeble?**

"My damn decision-"

**And what? Release me and I will influence you. Hold me back and I will still influence you. It is irrelevant, we are one in the same.**

"No, you want complete control."

**I want a pact, as I said. You think to cage me, but I allowed some freedom of you recently. Why not return the favor?**

"You ve tried many ways over the years to seize control."

**And met with overall failure for my efforts. Idiot! Don t you see? Your willpower and focus strengthens me. And my power fuels you.**

Alan gaped in shock, not believing his ears.

Sentinel pressed his advantage. **Ah, surprised to know this? We have always been two sides of the same coin.**

Alan faltered a bit. "I still have my will."

Sentinel snorted. **A lot that will mean lying in bed! There are far greater things to do. The question is, what do you really want?**

"What do you_ think,_ Starheart? I want to be healed and whole."

**Then take my hand accept the truth, once and for all.**

"Not just yet. I have terms of my own."

**Name them.**

"If you ever feel resistance from me by your actions, you will cede control."

Sentinel smirked. **Done. Anything else?**

Alan paused. "You will not harm my children in any way."

**Our children**. Sentinel emphasized.

"Whatever. Do not cause them harm!"

**Why would I do that? Even you can see I never harmed them.**

"You subsumed them!"

Sentinel shrugged indiferently. **Guilty as charged. It s a lonely universe, what can I say? I wanted my family with me.**

"No mind control, or the deal is off!"

**Be realistic, Alan. We share the same chaotic essence. There is bound to be symbiosis. How can I undo myself?**

"No deliberate control, then."

Sentinel seemed oddly satisfied. **So be it. Now my terms.**

"Go on."

**Periodically, you will release me. Unfettered, and without hesitation or resistance.**

Alan frowned, thinking.

Sentinel was annoyed at the silence. **Why this pause? A pact requires cooperation on both sides.**

"That concerns me." Alan admitted.

**Bah. Your legendary willpower is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. What are you afraid of? If you feel the need, simply exercise your willpower again.**

Alan sighed. "That seems logical."

Sentinel extended his hands and touched fingers. **Enough nonsense, Alan. I know you better than anyone. That includes the dirty little secrets you hide in your soul. Your lust for youth and power.**

Alan touched fingers. "My secrets to keep, Starheart."

**Not from me. I know you depise being old and weak. Merge with me now, and never be weak again!**

Alan gripped hands. "It s as you say. I need you."

**We need each other.**

There was a suddenly explosion of flame and then silence. Alan hovered over the bed encased in green bracing and cape. A lantern graced his torso, heralding his latest transformation. Power and flame rolled off his body, suffusing the room in emerald glow. He floated to a mirror, pleased to see his youth restored.

_This is who I am! Not that feeble, failing excuse for a hero. I must never, ever be weak again! The power is mine._

As if in response, the flame around him flared wildly. Alan paused.

"I still need to be careful. The Starheart may or may not honor the pact. Vigilance!"

With a cool smirk of satisfaction, Alan teleported away. He had a maniac to fry.

A green flame coalesced in the hospital room seconds later. Sentinel was smug, his face cased in shadow.

**Yes, Alan Scott. Burn your little psychopath, play the hero with your friends. Our war is at long last over. Eventually petty mortal concerns will fade to inconsequence. For I am stronger in you than ever. The day you succumb to that final temptation. I win!**

With maniacal laughter, the figure of sentinel shrunk to a pinpoint and was gone.

THE END


End file.
